Terminal connecter for spark plugs



Dec. 1925- A.'CHAMPION TERMINAL CONNECTER FOR SPARK PLUGS Filed May 18 1921 I avwwtoz J 2642226! (52/1 1912),-

Patented Dec. 22, 1925.

UNITED STATES 1,566,465 PATENT OFFICE.

ALBERT CHAMPION, OF FLINT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNORTO A C SPARK PLUG COMPANY, OF FLINT, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION T MICHIGAN.

TERMINAL CONNECTER FOR SPARK PLUGS.

Application filed May 18, 1921. Serial No. 470,575.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT CHAMPION, a citizen of the French Republic, and a resident of Flint, county'of Genesee, and State 6 of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Terminal Connecters for Spark Plugs, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, such as will enable others skilled l in the art to which the invention relates to make and use the same, reference being made therein to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification. My invention relates to terminal connecters em loyed in ignition systems for internal com ustion engines for attaching the ends of the electrical conductors or cables to the spark plugs of the system; and the principal object of my invention is to provide an improved form of terminal connecter made up of two co-operating parts or members similar in form with one another, and in which the insulating covering of the conductor is clasped between adja- 35 cent ends of said members and held in place relative to said ends.

A further object of my invention is to provide an improved terminal connecter for use in the ignition systems of internal combustion engines in which the resiliency of the insulating covering of the leading-in conductor acts to impart resiliency to the connecter as a whole and to force the parts thereof toward one another; the resiliency of the covering which is commonly made of rubber acting to yieldably prevent the separation of the parts of the connecter, and hold the same in place relative to the spark plug when the connecter is in use.

4 A further object of my invention is to provide an improved terminal connecter made up of two sheet metal members semicircular in cross-section and similar in form with one another and which members may 4 be formed from suitably shaped blanks out out from sheets of metal by the use of suitable punches and dies, and the membersthenbent into piroper form to permit their being assembl, vwith and secured to an end of a leading-in conductor. I I

With the above and other objects of invention in view,.my invention consists in the improved. terminal connecter illustrated in the accompanying drawing and hereinafter describe and claimed; itbeing apin Figure 3 are formed.

conducting core of which commonly com- A cross-section,

leading-in conductor,

preciated, however, that the same may be variously modified and that my invention includes all such' modifications of the particular form thereof illustrated in the ac- 4 compan ing drawing as come within the scope o the concludmg claims.

Referring to the drawing wherein the referred embodiment of my invention is illustrated Figure 1 is a view showing a leading-in conductor equipped with a terminal connecter made in accordance with my invention, the view being in perspective.

Figure 2 is a similar view showing the conductor by itself and the manner in which the stranded conducting core thereof is spread out and bent back over the insulating covering prior to the assembling of the connecter and the electrical conductor.

Figure 3 is a view showing the two members which together form my improved connecter separate. from one another.

Figure 4 is a View showing the two blanks from which the connecter members shown Figure 5 is a view showing a connecter made in accordance with my invention and in which both the members thereof are made from blanks of one form.

Figure 6 is a view showing one of the blanks from which the connecting members shown in Figure 5 are formed.

Referring now to the drawing, the reference numeral 7 designates one end of a leading-in conductor such as is used in internal combustion engine ignition systems for conducting the high tension current from the distributor of the system to the spark plugs of the several cylinders of the engine thereof, the same having an outer insulating'covering made of rubber or equivalent material and which is of considerable thickness to secure the requisite insulation for the high tension current employed, and the prises a plurality of comparatively fine wires as shown at '8 in Figure 2 to thereby secure flexibility while at the same time securing sufiicient current carrying capacity.

My im roved connecter is made up :of two elongate members 9, 10 semi-circular 'in y and the inner ends 11, 12 of which clasp the insulating covering of the said clasping ends being preferably made larger than the free 110 Y body of the insulating covering outer ends 13, 14 of said members; so that the inner sleeveportion formed by the assembled members is of greater diameter than the outer ortion which fits over. the free outer end o the inner or insulated electrode of the plug. The terminal member 9 is shown as provided with oppositely disposed tongues 15 which pass through loops 16 of the member lOafter the blanks shown in Figure 4 have been bent into semi-cylindrical form and the tongues and loops so shaped as to engage one another; after which the free cn'ds'of the tongues are bent about theouter bars of the loops, as best shown in Figure 1, to thereby secure the terminal members together.

The terminal members shown in Figure 3 are assembled with one another by the use of a suitable press, or otherwise; and the diameter of thecylindrical portion formed by the inner ends of said members is suchthat the end of the conductor 7, which is placed between the members before they are secured together, is clasped firmly between said members when they are. forced together, and is held in place between said inner ends under compression; from which it follows that the resiliency of the insulating covering of the conductor acts to hold said free ends in engagement, as shown in Figure 1, when the parts are assembled. When the cylindrical portion of the terminal made up of the semi-circular portions 13, 14 is slipped over the outer end of a spark plug electrode said inner ends will separate slightly from one another; such movement being permitted by the resiliency of the insulating covering of the conductor 7 which is clasped and held in a state of compression between the clasping portions 11, 12 and the connecting members.

It therefore follows that the resiliency of the connecter as a whole is imparted thereto by the insulating covering of the leading-in conductors, thus providing av yieldable terminal connecter in which no spring is provided to secure the resiliency of the parts, and in'which the parts which go to form the connecter need not be resilient to any considerable de ee. I

The semi-cylindrical portions 11, 12 of the elements which together form the connecter are preferably at 17 which are cut ree from the sheet metal blank and forced inwardly into the during the assembling of the parts to t ereby more firmly hold the connecter, in place u' on the end of the conductor; and the tub ar portion-formed by' the semi-cylindrical portions 13, 14 is preferably provided,with inwardl extending projectlons or humps 18 whic commonl engage a knob or ridge at the outer en of the spark plug electrode, to thereby more certainly prevent the pulling rovided with spurs meaeea off-of the connecter from the electrode and the interruption of the supply of current to the engine.

The abutting free edges 19 of the free end of the connecter members are preferably provided with projecting lugs 20 oil"- set slightly from the exterior surface of the said members so that when the members are assembled each lug of one member will overlie the adjacent side edge of the other member, as best shown in Figure 1, to thereby prevent sidewise movement of the free ends of the connecter. This, however, is a feature not always necessary as the resiliency of the insulating covering of the leadingin conductor will, if the parts are properly and carefully assembled, hold the free inner ends of the connecter members in proper position opposite one another. Inasmuch, however, as the assembling of the parts might result in the free ends of the members standing off-set relative to one another, I prefer to provide the lugs in question; in order that said free ends will be held in registry with one another, and a cylinder opening secured and maintained for the reception of the spark plug terminal and a better appearing connecter thus provided.

Before the parts 9, 10 are assembled to provide a complete connecter the conducting wire or wires of the conductor 7 are spread apart and bent back over the exterior surface of the insulation thereof so that when the connecter members are put in place and pressed together and secured in their final position an electrical contact will be established between the conducting wire core and the terminal members.

The two parts or members which form my improved connecter are preferably made from sheet metal blanks cut out, as by the 7 use of suitable punches and dies, in substantially the form illustrated in Figure 4, after which the blanks are bent into the sem1cylind'rical form illustrated in Figure 3 by the use of suitable bending dies. These bending dies may simultaneously provide the enlarged portions 11, 12; altho as hereinbefore stated the enlarged portions are not an essential feature of my invention, and the terminal connecter mayvif desired be of uniform diameter throughout.

In the form of my ,improved connecter shown in Figures land 2'the parts thereof are similar in form, but not absolutely identical, the makingof the connecter requiring I two pairs of diesand punches to produceblanks of the form shown in Figure which differ one from another'in that two tongues are provided upon one blank and two loops upon the other.

In the form of my invention shown in Figure 5 the tubular connecter is made up of two elements or parts 22, 23 which are identical in form one with the other and I the lugs 26 are present at the free meeting edges of the members 22,23; each'lug being off-set somewhat so that when the parts are assembled it will overlie the abutting edge of the other member, to thereby hold 7 the free ends of the connecter members in registry with one another and provide .a circular opening to fit over a spark plug electrode when the connecter is in use.

Having thus described and explained my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. A terminal connecter comprisin two similar elongated members semi-circu ar in cross-section so as to together form a tube; fastening elements disposed adjacent one end of each member at the free edge thereof, and which elements are adapted to engage one another to thereby secure said members together; and a lug extending from a side edge of each of said members and located 1 adjacent the other end thereof, and which lug is adapted to engage the adjacent side edge of the other member to thereby prevent sidewise movement of said members.

2. A terminal connecter comprising two similar elongated members semi-circular in cross-section so as to together form a tube; co-operating pairs of fastening elements located upon abutting edges of said members and adjacent one end of the connecter formed when said members are assembled, and which fastening elements engage with one another to thereby secure said members together; and -means located adjacent the ends of said elongated members remote from the ends at which said pairs of fastening members are located for preventing sidewise movement of said members,

3. A terminal connecter tubular in form and made up of two elongated members semi-circular in cross-section; means located adjacent one end of said members and whereby said membersmay be secured together;

an electrical conductor having a resilient insulating covering clasped by the ends aforesaid of said members, and the conducting wire of which conductor contacts with said connecter; and means located adjacent the free end of said connector for preventing sidewise movement ofthe members thereof relative to one another.

4. A terminal connecter tubular in form and made up of two elongated members of like form and semi-circular in cross-section; means located adjacent one end of said members and whereby said members may be secured together; an electrical conductor having a resilient insulating covering extending into the, tubular connecter at the end at which the members thereof are secured together, and the conducting wire of which conductor contacts with said connecter; spurs extending from the members of said connecter inward and into the insulating covering thereof; and lugs located adjacent the free end of said connecter and extending from each side edge of each-member thereof overthe abutting side edge of the other member to thereby prevent sidewise movement of said members relative to one another.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

. ALBERT CHAMPION. 

